Sewing machine



Sept. 10, 1935.

A. EPPLER SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1935 5 Sheets- Sheet l Sept. 10, 1935. A EPPLER 2,013,751

SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 08 9 I 1 10 s (Q) 13+ Sept. 10, 1935.

Wfi'nass A. EPPLER SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 10, 1935. A. .EPPLER SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. l0, 1935. A. EPPLER SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 19:53

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 SEWING MACHINE Application February 9, 1933, Serial No. 655,935

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to lockstitch sewing machines for attaching welt to stitchdown shoes.

It is frequently the practice in certain classes o of shoe sewing machines to provide means for guiding welt to the point of operation of the stitch-forming devices of the machine where it is being attached to the shoe being sewn. At the end of a seam, the shoe is removed. from the 10. stitch-forming devices and moved a short distance in the line of feed to cause a length of welt to be drawn from the supply before cutting the welt between the machine and the shoe so that in starting the seam on a new shoe, a sufii- 135 cient length of welt will be provided. It is also customary, particularly in machines for sewing Goodyear welt shoes to provide some sort of welt retrieving device which will automatically retract the welt in case too great a supply is withdrawn after the machine is stopped. This type of machine ordinarily operates to form a chain stitch seam and is provided with a driving and stopping mechanism which brings the machine to rest with the needle disengaged from the work and from'the thread during a reverse rotation of the sewing shaft which operates the stitch-forming devices. The welt retrieving device ordinarily comprises some means operated by the reverse rotation of the sewing shaft for gripping the welt between the machine and the supply. When the machine is again started, forward rotation of the sewing shaft causes the welt to be released from the gripping means so that it may be withdrawn from the supply as used. However, due to the fact that it is undesirable to rotate the sewing shaft of a lockstitch shoe sewing machine in a reverse direction in bringing it to rest, a welt retriever operated by the reverse rotation of the sewing shaft cannot be successfully employed in such a machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide a welt retrieving device for a lockstitch shoe sewing machine arranged to attach the welt to the outturned margin of the upper and the sole of a stitchdown shoe, said machine having a driving and stopping mechanism which does not rotate the sewing shaft of the machine in a reverse direction at the end of a seam.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved mechanism for limiting the movement of the welt as it is withdrawn from the machine and for causing it to be retracted to a predetermined position within the machine after being disconnected from the shoe.

To these ends, a feature of the invention contemplates the provision in a lockstitch shoe sewing machine in which a driving and stopping mechanism is arranged to bring the machine to rest with the stitch-forming devices disengaged 5 from the work during the forward rotation of the main sewing shaft of the machine of a welt controlling mechanism, having a clamp or gripper for engaging the welt, operated by connections to the driving and stopping mechanism independently of the direction in which the main sewing shaft rotates.

Another feature of the invention consists in mechanism for controlling withdrawal of welt from a sewing machine which comprises a clamp arranged to be held stationary after gripping the welt and a movable guide for retracting a loop of the welt extending between the portion clamped and the machine in which the welt is used. In the form shown, a movable stop or latch cooperates with the movable guide to cause a shorter length of welt to be retracted by the movable guide than is withdrawn after the gripper is operated, so that a sufficient supply of welt is provided in the machine to start each new 25 operation.

Other features of the invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following description of the construction illustrated therein. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a lockstitch sewing machine for sewing stitchdown shoes in which the features of the invention have been embodied; Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the machine looking from the right; Fig. 3 is a side View of certain parts shown in Fig. 2, more particularly relating to the welt retrieving mechanism in the positions normally occupied while the machine is running; Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts in the positions which they occupy just after the machine is brought to rest, but before the shoe is removed; Fig. 5 is a plan view on the left end of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view in elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion at the front of the machine illustrating the welt guide arrangement; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional elevation on an enlarged scale along the line 1-7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a detail view of a portion of the welt retrieving mechanism; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Figures 3 and 4; and Fig. 10 is a sectional View of certain parts of the driving and stopping mechanism shown in Fig. '7.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is of substantially the same general construction and 55 mode of operation as the machine shown and described in Patents Nos. 1,169,909 granted February 1, 1916, and 1,233,539 granted July 17, 1917 to Fred Ashworth. This machine is provided with a work supporting table 2, a presser-foot 4, a curved hook needle 6, a curved awl 8, a shuttle Ill and other stitch forming devices actuated from the main sewing shaft l2 and a supplemental shaft i l through mechanisms fully shown and described in the above-mentioned patents.

The machine is also provided with a driving and stopping mechanism similar to that of the patents above referred to. During sewing, the machine is driven through a frictional driving clutch Hi which is held in engagement by a treadle rod l8 through a two-part lever 29, the parts of which are yieldingly connected by a spring 22, and one end of which is embraced by collars 2d secured to the treadle rod. When the treadle is released at the completion of the sewing, the main driving clutch is disengaged, and the mechanism for stopping the machine is rendered active. This mechanism comprises a normally inactive slow speed driving clutch 26, a timing cam 28 for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the clutch, a clutch lever 36 which is oscillated idly by the cam during sewing, a spring-pressed slide 32 carrying a springpressed locking pin which is adapted to connect the lever 36 with the slide, and is held out of engagement with the lever during sewing by a cam lever 35 (see Fig. 7) connected with the treadie rod and arranged to engage one arm of a threearmed lever 38, another arm of which is connected by a link 40 with the locking pin 3%. When the treadle is released, the upward movement of the treadle rod and cam lever 36 releases the locking pin so that it is free to engage a hole in the cam lever 38 when this hole is brought into registry with the pin, and thus arrest the movement of the lever 30 so that the cam 28 will first engage the slow speed driving clutch at a definite point in the rotation of the shaft 12, and will thereafter disengage the clutch at another definite point in the rotation of the shoe at which the needle and awl are free of the work.

The work table 2 of the machine is formed as usual with a vertical slot 12 to permit the needle and awl to penetrate the work, and also with an oblique guideway in the form of a slot l -l for directing a strip of welt 46 upwardly to the work engaging surface of the work table 2 where it is attached to the extending margin of the upper v V and sole of a shoe. The welt 46 is supplied to the machine from a reel 48 from which it extends through guiding means to the work support.

The machine, being constructed to form a lockstitch seam, and being more complex than the type of chain stitch machine ordinarily employed in attaching welt to a Goodyear shoe, it is not desirable to rotate the sewing shaft l2 backwardly in bringing the machine to rest. The slow speed driving clutch 25 is driven by the engagement of a gear 50 formed on the driven member of the slow-speed clutch engaging a worm formed on a shaft 52 carrying a pulley 54. The pulley 54 is therefore driven in the proper direction to cause the sewing shaft 12 to be rotated in the same forward direction as it is when driven from l the high speed clutch I6.

When the slow speed clutch is disengaged, the final stopping position of the sewing shaft is determined by a stop dog 55 arranged to engage a stop shoulder 58 on a cam 6% which is secured to the shaft If. The stop dog is in the form of a lever fulcrumed on pins 6i engaging the hub of a lever 62 so that the dog may move about the pins ill into and out of the path of the cam 60, and the dog is held in this position out of the path of the cam during sewing against the pull of a spring 64 5 by a third arm of the lever 38 which engages a laterally projecting arm of the dog lever 56.

According to the present invention the means for guiding the welt is arranged to control the withdrawal of the welt from the work support at the end of the seam and is operated by movement of the stop dog 56 after it has moved into the path of the cam 60 on the sewing shaft. The guiding means for the welt comprises two relatively fixed guides in the form of rolls 6B and 68, rotatably mounted on screws in threaded into a frame I2, and a movable guide roll l4 carried on the end of a lever 76. The lever 16 is pivotally mounted on a stud l8 threaded in the frame 72. When the machine is stopped, a gripper 80 (see Fig. 8) is actuated by connections to the stop dog 56 to prevent further movement of the welt over the stationary roll 68.

The connections to the stop dog for operating the gripper 80 comprise the lever 62 on which the stop dog is mounted, a link 82 connected between the upper end of the lever and a lever 84, an adjustable set screw 85 which engages the end of the link 82 and is carried by one arm of a lever 88, and a shaft 98 extending across the back of the machine to one end of which the lever 88 is secured. The other .end of the shaft 90 extends through the frame i2 for the welt controlling mechanism and carries a lever 92, the forward arm of which is provided with a set screw 94. The set screw 94 is arranged to engage an arm of a lever 95 having a fulcrum 98 on the frame 12 and carrying the gripper 80 on its other arm.

Just before the sewing shaft I2 is stopped by engagement of the stop dog 56 with the shoulder 58, a rise we provided on the cam Bil immediately in front of the shoulder 58 engages the stop dog so that the dog is swung outwardly. This movement of the dog rocks the lever 62, moves the link 82 against the set screw 86, rocks the 5 shaft 90 and causes the set screw 94 on the lever 92 to be moved away from the rearward arm of the lever 96. To cause the gripper 80 on the forward arm of the lever 96 to move into engagement with the Welt as it passes over the stationary guide roll 68, a spring I02 is (see Fig. 2) carried in a passage in the frame 12 and arranged to act between a set screw I04 threaded into the upper end of the passage and a plunger I06 sliding in the lower end of the passage in such a position as to engage the lever 96. When the machine is again started, the stop dog 56 is moved laterally out of engagement with the cam and the shaft 90 is rocked in the opposite direction to cause the set screw 9 to be moved into engagement with the 60 lever 96. To rock the shaft 90 in the opposite direction an arm I08 is secured to an intermediate portion of the shaft 90 and connected at its upper end with a spring Hll connected to the machine frame, the spring I I0 being of sufficient strength to overcome the force of the spring I02 for the gripper lever 96.

As indicated in Figures 1 and 8, the Welt passing from the supply reel 48 is guided first over the stationary roll 68 in connection with which the gripper acts, thence downwardly about the movable roll 14, upwardly over the fixed roll 56 and to the work table 2. To prevent twisting of the welt as it passes over the roll 68, a finger H2 mounted on a bolt H4 is provided adjacent the roll 68 to engage the welt. After the gripper acts to hold the welt on the roll 63, a supply may be withdrawn from the work table of the ma.- chine corresponding to the amount of welt withheld in the downwardly extending loop formed by the movable roll I4 between the stationary rolls 86 and 68. To permit threading the welt about the guides while the machine is at rest, a handle member H3 is provided on the forward arm of the lever 96 for raising the gripper 89.

When the tension on the welt is released, as when the extending welt is severed from the shoe at the end of a seam, the welt will be withdrawn to a predetermined position by the weight of the lever I6 supplemented by the action of a torsion spring IIS surrounding the stud F8 on which the lever 16 is fulcrumed. One end of the spring H6 acts against a washer H8 secured to the stud I8, and the other end on a pin I23 fixed to the lever 16.

To support the weight of the lever it when the machine is running, an upwardly extending arm of the lever 76 engages a block I22 on an arm I24 pivotally mounted at I25 on the frame 72, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The set screw '94 at this time engages the lever 96 so as to release the welt from the gripper, thus permitting the welt to be drawn from the supply reel 48 as required. After the machine has stopped, the lever 92 is rocked to the position shown in Fig. 4, permitting the gripper to engage the welt on the roll 68. At the same time, the rearward arm of the lever 92 compresses a spring I28 surrounding a rod I39 slidably mounted at one end in a block I32 carried by the lever 92, and pivoted at the other end to the arm I24 to yieldingly force the block I22 on the arm I24 downwardly. This causes the arm I24 to move downwardly a short distance only as indicated in Fig. 4, until a shoulder on the block engages the upwardly extending arm of the lever I6.

The machine having stopped with the stitch forming devices free of the shoe, the shoe is removed from the work support before severing the welt. In removing the shoe a length of welt is withdrawn from the work support and the movable roll 14 about which the downwardly extending loop of welt is guided is raised, the gripper 8D retaining the welt on the stationary roll 68. The welt is then severed close to the shoe, and the length of welt extending from the work support is retracted by downward movement of the arm carrying the movable guide roll 74.

To cause a shorter length of welt to be retracted than the amount withdrawn from the machine with the shoe, movement of the guide roll id in retracting the welt is limited by the shoulder on the block I22, as indicated in Fig. 2. The upward movement of the lever I6 while the welt is being withdrawn permits the arm I24 to move downwardly to a position determined by the engage-- ment of a pair of lock nuts I34 on the rod I30 with the block I32, thus moving the raised part bf the block above the shoulder, to a position in which it will reduce the downward movement of the lever It. The momentum of the lever I6 after retracting the welt is absorbed by a spring buifer I36 secured to the frame of the machine in a position to be engaged by the lever I6 during its downward movement.

Before the machine is started on a new shoe, the stop dog 56 is moved out of the path of the cam 66 on the sewing shaft. The shaft '98 and the arm 92 are returned from the positions indicated in Fig. 2, and the block I32 at the rearward arm of the lever 92 raises the rod I30 and the arm carrying the block I22 until the upwardly extending arm of the lever I6 again moves to the position indicated in Fig. 3. At the same i time, the welt is clamped between the sole of a new shoe to be operated upon and the work table, and the gripper 80 releases the welt on the guide roll 68, so that the short downward movement of the roll I l permitted by shifting the raised portion of the block I22 out of the path of the lever 16 will draw the welt from the supply reel 48 rather than from the work support of the machine. After the driving clutch I6 is engaged, the feeding movements imparted to the shoe cause the welt to be drawn through the guides 66, 68 and M from the supply reel 48 until the end of the seam is reached.

After severing the welt from the shoe, the end of the welt is frictionally retained in engagement with the work table by a flat supporting spring member I38 (see Fig. 6) which for convenience is mounted upon an upright Mil, ordinarily carrying the work gauge when the machine is employed in sewing the outseams of Goodyear welt shoes. The supporting member I38 extends upwardly and towards the left to a position beneath the right end of the work table 2, near where the welt it passes through the slot 54 in the work table. Due to the manner in which the supporting member is arranged, it does not interfere with the feeding movement of the welt with the shoe, but provides suiiicient resistance against backward movement of the Welt to prevent its displacement from the work table when the mov-- able guide roll "It acts to retract the welt withdrawn at the end of the seam.

Having thus explained the nature and object of the invention and specifically described one form of the mechanism in which it may be embodied, what is claimed is:

l. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a driving and stopping mechanism arranged to bring the machine to rest during the forward rotation of the sewing shaft, welt guiding means, means for clamping the welt to prevent withdrawing an unlimited amount from the machine, and a connection operated by the driving and stopping mechanism to actuate the welt clamping means to grip the welt at the end of a seam and to release the welt when the machine is restarted.

A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a driving and stopping mechanism arranged to bring the machine to rest during the forward rotation of the sewing shaft, stationary welt guiding means, movable welt guiding means resiliently actuable to retract a limited length of welt, means for clamping the welt to prevent movement of the welt relative to one of said guiding means and to cause the movable guiding means to be actuated in withdrawing welt from the machine, a connection operated by the driving and stopping mechanism to actuate the welt clamping means to grip the welt at the end of a seam, and a stop connected for operation by the driving and stopping mechanism for causing a shorter length of welt to be retracted by the movable welt guiding means than is withdrawn from the machine after the machine is brought to rest.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a driving and stopping mechanism arranged to bring the machine to rest during the forward rotation of the sewing shaft, stationary welt guiding means, movable Welt guiding means resiliently actuable to retract a limited length of welt, means for clamping the welt to prevent movement of the welt relative to one of said guiding means and to cause the movable guiding means to be actuated in withdrawing welt, a connection operated by the driving and stopping mechanism to actuate the welt clamping means to grip the welt at the end of the seam, a stop for causing a shorter length of welt to be retracted by the movable welt guiding means than is withdrawn from the machine after the machine is brought to rest, and a resilient connection to the driving and stopping mechanism for yieldingly urging the stop against the movable welt guiding means and for shifting the stop into a position which will limit the retracting movement of the movable guiding means.

4. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a driving and stopping mechanism arranged to bring the machine to rest during the forward rotation of the sewing shaft, a cam follower cooperating with a cam on the cam shaft, a treadle operated member for shifting the cam follower out of the path of the cam during sewing, means for clamping the welt to prevent withdrawing an unlimited amount from the machine, a resiliently actuated welt guiding means for retracting the welt withdrawn from the machine when the welt clamping means grips the welt, and a stop resiliently connected to the cam follower of the driving and stopping mechanism for limiting the welt retracting movement of the resiliently actuated welt guiding means after the machine comes to rest.

5. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a stationary welt guide, a clamp engaging the welt as it passes the stationary guide, means for actuating the clamp to prevent movement of the welt in the stationary guide when the sewing shaft is brought to rest, and a movable welt guide for retracting the welt withdrawn from the machine after the clamp acts to prevent movement of the welt.

6. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a stationary welt guide, a clamp engaging the welt as it passes the stationary guide, means for actuating the clamp to prevent movement of the welt in the stationary guide when the sewing shaft is brought to rest, a movable Welt guide for retracting the welt withdrawn from the machine after the clamp acts to prevent movement of the welt, and a stop movable towards and from engagement with the movable welt guide to cause a shorter length of welt to be retracted by the movable guide than is withdrawn from the machine at the end of a seam.

'7. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for operating the stitch forming devices, a stationary welt guide, a clamp for engaging the welt as it passes the stationary guide to prevent movement of the welt at the end of a seam, a movable welt guide for retracting the welt withdrawn from the machine after the clamp acts to prevent movement of the welt, a stop movable towards and from engagement with the movable welt guide to cause a shorter length of welt to be retracted by the movable guide than is withdrawn from the machine at the end of a seam, and a member arranged to cause the clamp to grip the welt as 5 vices in predetermined positions, stationary welt 15 guides on the frame, a clamp engaging the welt as passes one of the stationary guides to prevent withdrawing an unlimited amount of welt from the machine, a movable guide for retracting a loop of welt extending between the sta- 2 0 tlonary guides, a movable stop, and connections operated by the driving and stopping mechanism to actuate the clamp and yieldingly urge the stop towards a position which will limit the retracting movement of the movable guide after the welt 25 is withdrawn from the machine and to release the Welt from the clamp and withdraw the stop from its limiting position as the machine is restarted.

9. A welt controlling mechanism having, in combination, a supporting frame, stationary 30 guides mounted on the frame, a clamp for engagmg the welt as it passes one of the stationary guides, a movable guide for retracting a loop of the welt extending between the stationary guides, and means for actuating the clamp to grip the 35 welt while the movable guide is in a position at the limit of its retracting movement.

10. A welt controlling mechanism having, in combination, a supporting frame, stationary guides mounted on the frame, a clamp for en- 40 gaging the welt as it passes one of the stationary guides, a movable guide for retracting a loop of the welt extending between the stationary guides, a movable stop cooperating with the movable guide, and means for actuating the clamp to grip the welt while the movable guide is in a position at the limit of its retracting movement and for yieldingly urging the stop against the movable guide to cause it to shift when the welt is withdrawn from the machine to a position Where the stop will prevent the return of the movable guide to the limit of its retracting movement.

11.A welt controlling mechanism having, in combination, a supporting frame, stationary guides mounted on the frame, a clamp for engaging the welt as it passes one of the stationary guides, a movable guide for retracting a loop of the welt extending between the stationary guides, a movable stop for limiting the retracting movement of the movable guide after the welt is withdrawn from the machine, and means for actuating the clamp to grip the welt while the movable guide is in a position at the limit or" its retracting movement and to release the welt from the clamp when the movable guide is returned to the limit of its retracting movement.

12. A sewing machine having, in combination, lockstitch forming devices including a hook needle, a shuttle, a work support and a presser-foot, means for retracting the welt withdrawn from the machine at the end of a seam, a welt guide on the work support for applying welt to the extending margin of a stitchdown shoe sole, and a friction device engaging the welt adjacent the work support to prevent the welt from being displaced on the work support by the action of the welt retracting means.

13. A sewing machine having, in combination, lockstitch forming devices including a hook needle, a shuttle, a work support and a presser-foot, means for retracting the welt withdrawn from the machine at the end of a seam, a welt guide in the form of a slot extending downwardly at an angle to the work engaging surface of the work support, and a friction element contacting with the under surface of the welt to prevent the welt from being displaced on the work support by the action of the welt retracting means.

ANDREW EPPLER. 

